Here’s a collection of testimonials from Readings staff who have read, and loved The Dry – a searing fiction debut from Australian author Jane Harper.

“I loved this book; it’s some of the best crime I’ve read in years. Rural Australia bristles with menace and desolation as terrible secrets of the past are uncovered layer by layer.”

– Mark Rubbo, managing director

“Jane Harper’s The Dry won the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript in 2015, and before it was even published, rights were sold to over twenty territories and Reese Witherspoon’s production company is planning to adapt the book into a Hollywood film. That’s a lot of hype for a first novel to live up to – fortunately, Jane Harper writes with the easy confidence of a seasoned pro, and The Dry deserves all of its accolades, and more. If you’re looking for a gripping page-turner to cosy up with on a cold winter’s night, this is the book for you.”

– Nina Kenwood, marketing manager

“My advice – buy yourself a copy, and one for everyone you live with, then persuade them to read alongside you. The pressing urge to discuss this novel with everyone in sight is inevitable!”

– Stella Charls, marketing and events coordinator

“Jane Harper’s debut is my favourite Australian novel this year! The past and present entwine against the backdrop of a rural Australia that is all too real. Secrets and lies are exposed, suspicion is everywhere. If you are a fan of Gillian Flynn then you will love The Dry.”

– Jason Maggs, buyer at Readings Carlton

“I think a lot of people are going to love this book – and there’s certainly a lot to love. Vivid characters, a landscape that unfolds in the imagination, and a mystery that kept this reader guessing until the very end. Full of surprises, this is an assured debut from a writer to watch.”

– Alison Huber, head book buyer

“As cliché as it sounds, I could not put down this book. I had to know exactly who had done what, and why, and I had to know as soon as humanly possible. Harper has brought an entire town to life – the landscape, the drought, the human failings and intrigues, and, perhaps most disturbing of all, the sustained and devastating power of an unexamined, seemingly cathartic herd mentality.”

– Elke Power, editor of the Readings Monthly

“What a tremendous, evocative read. Harper’s pared-back language is reminiscent of the rural environment she writes of in The Dry. The book’s plot is intriguing, even chilling at times, and Harper’s depiction of the Australian outback community is completely believable. This is a wonderful novel that I raced through because I just had to know how it ended. It was unexpected.”

– Chris Gordon, events manager

“If you’re planning on reading The Dry, make sure to clear your schedule and hide yourself away, and pity the fool who interrupts you.”

– Cat Matteson, designer

You can pre-order the sequel to